Best Time to Cut Back Perennials

Should I cut my perennials back to the ground in fall or wait until spring?

I like to leave perennials stand for winter. Research shows perennials left standing have a better chance of surviving our often severe winter weather. Plus the seedheads add winter interest to the landscape, provide food for the birds and habitat for some beneficial insects. Always remove disease or insect infested plants to reduce the risk of these pests in next year's garden. Cut back your plants in late winter or early spring and add the debris to your compost pile. I find most of us are anxious to get started gardening in March and April. So make spring the time to do a bit of cleanup, evaluate winter damage and get a taste of gardening when there is not much else we can do that time of year.

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